Get A Head Start on a Healthy Week

A client once said, “I eat a lot more vegetables when my fridge is full of them.”

The simple truth is: when your refrigerator is stocked with balanced and energy-enhancing foods, you are more likely to eat balanced and energizing meals. This is what I call staging, or setting up, your kitchen for success.

Now, if you plan ahead and put in a little effort up front, you can make “I have nothing to eat” a thing of the past. Just shop once, chop once, and eat all week. It’s that easy! Here are five simple steps to help you meal prep for a healthy week.

1) Set aside at about 3 hours – start to finish.

Commit a few hours each Sunday (or day most convenient for you) to prep your kitchen.

2) Review your calendar.

Jot down the number of days you will be eating at home that week. This will give you an idea of how much to buy. For example, if you are entertaining clients two nights during the week and going away on the weekend, purchase less.

3) Shop accordingly.

Assess what you have in your pantry, freezer and refrigerator, then make a list of what you need to purchase. (See Step 4 for inspiration.) If you don’t have time to visit the grocery store, consider placing a grocery delivery order using Instacart, Peapod, or Amazon Pantry.

4) Get your hands dirty.

Turn raw ingredients into ready-to-eat foods that you can combine or use to make balanced meals. By definition, a balanced meal contains 50% produce, 25% protein and 25% whole grain or complex starch. TIP: Keep that in mind when building your meals at home or while dining out! Here are ideas of foods to have on hand: